Pressure-and-vacuum filling machine



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 27, 1950 V M 1 a J INVENTOR 401. A?fire/mamman-rrovzmsvs.

2 Sheets-Shea AT TO RN EKS.

INVENTOR.

511/1. Firm/slung BY am) v M PRESSURE-AND-VACUUM FILLING MACHINE Nov.24, 1953 Filed May 2'7, 1950 Patented Nov. 24, 1953 -UNITED QEFICE PRESSURE -AND -VACUUM FILLlN G MACHINE Paul R. Fechheimer, Cincinnati, Ohio,assignor to The Karl Kiefer Machine Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, acorporation of Ohio Application'May 27, 1950, Serial No. 164,715

and it has as one of its principal objects the provision of improvementsin such machines to the end that filling under a combination of vacuumand pressure becomes commercially feasible.

As is well known, it is conventional to fill containers by introducinginto them the filling substance through a spout or nozzle, the fillingsub stance flowing into the container under pressure, and the displacedair escaping from the container through the mouth of it. In the fillingof bottles with liquids it is equally conventional to provide a sealabout the mouth of the container to draw a vacuum on it and to cause thefilling material to be introduced into the container under the infiuenceof the vacuum through a filling nozzle or spout which projects into thecontainer. Su gestions that the filling of thebottles might be speededup by both drawing a vacuum on them and introducing the filling materialunder a pressure greater than atmospheric have been made; but hithertomachines in which operations have been attempted along this line havenot been fully successful. In particular it is an object of theinvention to provide a machine in which both superatmospheric pressureand vacuum are employed, but which will have those commerciallynecessary factors of safety which will hereinafter be more fullyoutlined. I p

In a copending application entitled Machine for Filling Containers,Serial No. 8,885, filed February 17, 1948, I have described a machineand filling nozzle constructions in which the filling substance is drawninto the bottle or other con tainer through an elongated nozzle insertedtherein nearly to the bottom. In the operation of. the mechanism, thecontainer is entirely filled, any excess filling material passing off inthe vacuum line which is connected to the; top of the it is necessary inthe filling of .many'c'ontaine'rs that an exact quantity of thecontentsbe intro-- duced therein, and inthe mechanism of my saidcopending application this is accomplished by lowering the container toa point where the end or the filling nozzle eiiectively demarks the de:

sired height of filling material in the container,

after Whichany excess of the filling material is drawn on? from thecontainer by reversing the connections to the filling tube or spout sothat it becomes connected to the vacuum line. After the container hasbeen brought entirely away from the filling mechanism, an inward passageof air is maintained as respects the filling spouts so as to preventdrippage. It is an object of this in-- vention to provide means and amethod whereby a pressure-vacuum type of operation may be had inmechanism of this general character.,

These and other objects of the invention which will be set forthhereinafter .or will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon readingthese speci- Figure 2 is a front elevation of a filling head,

with a part broken away to show interior construction, v g i I Figure 3is a partial vertical sectional viewof the apparatus of Figure 2 takenalong the section line 33 of that figure, I p Figure 4 is a similarsectional view showing the parts in a different operative relationshipas determined by the position of the container.

Figure 5 is a partial vertical sectional view of another type of fillingapparatus employing the features of my invention. v

Figure 6 is a partial sectional view showing a valve' arrangement whichis the same as that. of Figure 5, but in a different operative position;

Figure '7 is a vertical sectional view of a filling head taken along thesection line 'l- 'l of Fig;

ure 5.

Figure 8 is another vertical sectional view of the head, taken at rightangles to Figure 7 and responding to the section line 8-3 of the lastnamed figure. r I

a Figure!) is another vertical sectional view of filler head apparatusrelated to that shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4 but modified with respectureslg3 and 4. V v r V Referring first to Figure l, I have thereillusspout adapted for use with the structuresof Fig-' trated the mainparts of an: exemplary filling machine. This machine comprises a centralrotating column I which bears at its upper end a main head 2, and isconnected at its lower end to a table 4 having means thereon 5 forsupporting containers 6 and raising and lowering them as may berequired. The main head of the apparatus has means 9 for supporting aplurality of filling heads I!) in proper positions to coact with thecontainers 6 on the movable supports 5. The main head has a hollowinterior, divided by a diaphragm H into two chambers 12 and 13, thefirst of which is a vacuum chamber and the last of which is a chamberfor the filling material. The chamber 13 is connected by a verticalconduit 14 inside the column, with a conduit l 5 leading to a supplytank I 6. The connection between pipes l4 and I5 is through a gland i5awhich will permit rotation of the conduit H! with the column I, as iswell understood in this art.

The container 5 for the filling material I! is arranged to be suppliedtherewith by a conduit 13 from a suitable source (not shown). Since asuperatmospheric pressure of air is to be built up in the container 16,it is closed by a suitable cover l9; and it will be understood that thefilling material will be supplied through the conduit It at a pressuresufficient to overcome the internal pressure in the container It. Thismay be accomplished in various Ways but the introduction of the fillingmaterial into the container 16 by means of a pump, not illustrated, willordinarily be found most convenient. The container 36 may be providedwith a float 2 3 operating a valve 2! to prevent overfilling and tomaintain in the container 16 a substantially constant level of thefilling material.

The vacuum chamber l2 of the main head 2 is connected by a conduit 22(provided with a gland tov permit rotation of the main head) with avacuum chamber and trap 23 mounted on a suitable support 24 on themachine. The vacuum chamber and trap will be connected by a conduit 25to a vacuum pump (not shown). Any increments of filling material comingover into the vacuum chamber and trap 23 through the conduit 22 will beseparated from the air stream therein, and will be returned to thecontainer 16 through apump 26, located at the bottom of the chamber 23,driven by a motor 21 mounted with respect to the support 24 andconnected with the container 16 by a conduit 28. It will be understoodthat the pump 26 will operate with suficient force to overcome thereaction of superatmospheric pressure in the container I6.

P e sure ilt 1min t e con i r y con.- necting it, through a conduit; 23with a, source-of a r or t e s de pr s ure not; illustrat such. as a umaQr a-n T e conduit 9 may-be provided'with a pressure control valve 3%)which il r gula e th res ure. mpose on he a n r n another va ma k d 3.1the purpose and operation of which will hereinafter be 1 c c hed- T ecQnstn c iQn'Qi-the ll head Qa-ubest be; pr ci ed fromll eures 3. a dVarious. constructions are possible; but in the preferred orm.- of thisas ct o y nvention the fi li head has a body Hid permanently mountedonthe supporting member 9 and provided with a vertical bore 32. Thefilling tubes hereinafter described are mounted on or operate inconnection with a pair of plugs 33 and-34 adapted to be inserted inopposite ends of the bore and provided with flanges. to fix their inwardpositions. These plugs are held in place by a C-clamp having. a, body 35with a lower portion bifurcated as at 36 to pass the filling tubes, andan upper portion provided with an adjusting screw 3'! bearing againstthe upper plug 33. This arrangement makes the changing of filling spoutsfor different sizes of containers a relatively simple matter. The bodylfla is provided with a vacuum passageway 38 and a passageway 39 for thefilling material; and these passageways are in turn connected to thechambers l2 and [3 of the main head by vacuum and filling materialconduits indicated at 4B and 4|.

The filling tube structure forming part of the filling head may takevarious forms. In one exemplary embodiment, as shown in Figure 10, thefilling spout comprises an inner tube t2, which is the filling tube andwhich has a side opening 43. This tube is inside a larger tube 44 whichhas a side opening 45; but the arrangement is such that the tubes haveno direct communication with each other. The end of the filling spoutmay be finished by a cap-like member 35.

Another arrangement is shown in Figure 2 where the outer tube as isdrawn inwardly at its lower end so as to be joined with the inner tube42 which opens through the end of the spout. The outer tube, in thetapered portion, has one or more side openings 47 as shown.

The upper plug 33 is provided with an annular recess 48 communicatingwith the vacuum passageway 38, and having connection as at 39 with acentral bore 50-. The inner tube 42 slides within this central bore andis provided with a gasket 50a. A gasket 5i seals the upper plug againstthe inside-of the bore. r

The outer tube 44 slides in a perforation in the lower plug 34, and isprovided with a sealing gasket 52. There is a fitting 53 in the upperend of the outer tube 44, bearing a gasket Ed and a washer-shapedabutment 55 held in place by a cap member 55. A compression spring 5'!may be placed between the upper plug 33 and the washer-shaped abutment55. The outer tube 44 is provided with one or more perforations 58 nearits upper end; and the arrangement is such that when the tubes 64' and42 are in the position shown in Figure 3, these perforations are closedby the lower plug 35. When, however, the tubes are raised as a unit, asshown in Figure 4, the

perforations ride above the lower plug so that filling fluid from thepassageway 39 can enter the outer tube 44. The inner tube, by reason ofits communcaition with the vacum bore 56, serves to exhaust air from thecontainers as well as to carry away any excess of the filling materialtherefrom.

It will be. understood that the. filling spout is inoperative so long asthe tubes are in the position shown in Figure 3. The filling nozzle isdesigned to be raised by the. container itself so that, if, a containerfails to, be in filling position on thefilling machine platform 5, therewill be no flow. of; the filling material. To this end, as shown inFigures 2 and 1,0, I afiix adjustably to thefilling nozzle astop member59 having a sealing element 60 on its lower surface, serving, both toeffect the'seal with the upper edges of the mouth of the container 8,and to cause the container itself to elevate the filling nozzle from theposition shown in Figure 3 to the position shown in Figure 4.

A modified form of structure is shown in Figure 9, where like parts havebeen given like index numerals. Here, however, the filling material is,designed to be introduced into the container through the inner tube;while the outer tube draws the vacuum thereon. The inner tube 42 slidesas before in the upper plug 33; but its upperend is closed as "by a plug6|. The inner tube,'moreover, is provided with one or more openings 62.An annular recess 63 is formed about the bore 5% in the upper plug andis connected by suitable passageways in the plug and in thebody Illa toa line Or conduit 48a which in this instance is the conduit for fillingfiuid. The space inside the body lea between the plugs is connected by apassageway to a conduit Ma which in this instance is' the suctionconduit. The outer pipe or tube M, as before, is provided with thewasher-shaped abutment, and with the gasket 54. When the tubes :32 andM- are raised by contact of the abutment so with the top surfaces of acontainer, thetube 4d thus becomes connected to suction, while the tubein by reason of the coincidence of the perforations and the annularchamber 53 becomes connected to the supply of filling fluid. At theconclusion of the filling operation, the parts return to the positionshown in Figure 9. Here the tube is disconnected from suction, but byreason of passage of the perforations 52 in the inner pipe 52 below thelower end or the upper plug the filling tube 42 is now connected tosuction in suchiaway as to prevent dripp-age by drawing back into thestructure any filling material clin ing to the filling nozzle after itswithdrawal from the container.

A somewhat modified filling machine is illustrated in Figure 5 wherelike parts have been given the same index numerals. The table i, in thisinstance, carries vertically journaled toothed rods or racks 64terminating upwardly in platforms 65 for the containers 5. Apinion 85mounted on a lever 6'! pivoted to a downwardly extending bracket as onthe table 4 meshes with the teeth on the rack M and with the teeth onanother rack 59 fixed beneath the table. This ccnstitutes a motionmultiplying mechanism, so that a given movement of the lever l'lproduces a greater movement of the tray 65. The lever bears a camfollower ill which engages the surface of a cam ll fixed to the base E2of the machine. As the table and column rotate with respect to thisbase, the platforms 55 and the containers on them are moved from extremedownward positions' as shown at the left-hand. side of re may be driven,directly or otherwise, by an electric motor.

In the structure of Figure 5 the main head '2 is divided as before intotwo chambers by the diaphragm ii; but in this instance the upper chamberlie is a chamber for the-fillingi'material, while the lower chamber itsis a vacuum v oi'suction chamber.

. nectedby a conduit 15 with the container it for The lower chamberiscon- The upper chamber is conthe filling material. nected by a conduit'lfi with a trapil'a' having connection with a vacuum pump '13 and also,through a conduit is and a'check valve Bil, with,

I 6. a pump 8| and the container It, as shown; Again; thepump M willhavesuflicient power to overcome the superatmospheric pressure in thecontainer It. This container, as before, is connected through valves 3|and 3!} to a source of air or gas under pressure, such as a tank orpump.

Mechanism such as herein described may be employed with filling headconstructions having certain features of those described in my copendingapplication, Serial No. 8,885, filed February 1'7, 1948, and entitledMachine for Filling Containers. In the operation of such filling headsan elongated filling tube is passed into the .container to the extentthat its end occupies a position near the container bottom. Another.

tubular element effects a seal about the container mouth and is employedto draw a vacuum on the container. In an operation involving suchapparatus, the container is completely filled with the filling materiale'xceptingfor that space in it which is'occupied by the first mentionedfilling tube. There will be a slight lowering of the level of thefilling material in the container as the tube is Withdrawn therefrom;but it is ordinarily desired to fill the container to a fixed andpredetermined lower level. v To this end after thefirst mentionedcomplete filling, the container is lowered to such a position that thelower end of the filling tube marks the desired top level of the fillingmaterial, and the'connections are reversed to the filling tubeso that bysuction it now acts to lower the level of the filling material- Anarrangement is made whereby the position of the container with respectto the filling head operates valves in the several connections to effectthe operations just described as well as'a scavenging operation afterthe final lowering of the container. Itwill be understood that in' themechanism illustrated in Figure 5, the several positions of'thecontainers will be determined by the positions of the platform elements65 which in turn will be determined by the contour of the cam surface ofthe element H and the rotation of the table 4. 7

While the filling, level-lowering and scavenging operations referred tocan be effected by various. mechanisms,- an. exemplary filling head isillustratedin Figures 7 and 8.. Here the head has a body azwhich isaffixed to the main head of themachine as by a bolt 83 and is providedchamber is shown at 9|, and is an annular recess surrounding a bore 92.It is connected by a side-' wise disposed passageway .93 'with.thevacuum conduit .90.

'The'fillingtube 94 has a'closed upper end pro- 'vided'with awasher-like abutment 95 and a'gas- .ket'96 which bears against thebottom of the chamber 85. A compression spring 91 "engages between theabutment 95 and a threaded caplike member. t8 which closes the top ofthe chamber; fThe filling tube is provided with one or a plurality oforifices 99 so' positioned that when the filling tube is raised, one atleast of these'orifices will be placed' in'communication with thechamber '85 so that filling material 'from.

the conduit 81 can enter the filling tube 94. When the filling tube isin its lowered position as shown in Figure 8, the gasket 96 seals offthe chamber 85 from the tube 94 and hence stops the flow of fillingmaterial. In this position, however, it will be noted from Figure 8 thatat least one of the orifices 99 of the filling tube is now incommunication with the small annular vacuum chamber 88. In this positionsuction is applied to the filling tube 94.

' A tubular element I surrounds the filling tube 94 and at the top makesa tight connection with it. This tube slides in the bore 92 along withthe tube 94 to which it is afiixed. There is an opening I9I formedthrough both tubes in such position that when they are in theirlowermost position as illustrated in Figure 8, the inner tube 94 will bein communication with the vacuum chamber 9i. There is another openingI02 through the wall only of the outer tube I00 in r suchiposition thatwhen the tube combination is raised, the outer tube will be incommunication with the vacuum chamber SL The outer tube is provided witha sealing element I03 adapted to contact the mouth. of the container 6and eifect a vacuum-tight connection therewith.

As will be seen in Figure '7, a pair of rods I04 and I05 are verticallyslidable in the body 82. At their lower ends these rods bear an annulusI06 carrying a fitting I01 which will contact some portion of thecontainer other than the top or mouth surfaces thereof. In theparticular embodiment, the fitting contacts a ridge 0a on the bottle 0formed below the mouth of it; but in other embodiments the fittingmight, by way of example, contact the shoulders of a bottle. It will beevident that as the container 6 is moved upwardly as by the platform 65,the annulus and fitting will move upwardly with it, the rods I04 and I05sliding vertically in the body 82. Collars I08 and I09 may be employedto determine the lowermost position of the fitting.

It will be noted also that one of the rods I04 extends through thevacuum passageway 93, and the dimensions are such that the rod closeson" this passageway. To cause the rod to exert a valving action, Iprovide it with reduced portions indicated at H0 and I I I. It will beevident that if the fitting is moved upwardly to such position thateither of these reduced portions coincides with the lateral passageway931, this passage will be opened up, thus connecting the vacuum chamber9I with the vacuum line 90.

In operation, a container 0 on a platform 05., occupying initially theposition shown in Figure '7, is first moved upwardly (carrying theannulus I09 and fitting III] with it) until the mouth of the containercontacts the sealing element I03 and moves the combination of tubes I00and 9d upwardly against the compressive force of the spring 91. Theuppermost position of the container will be determined by the camelement II as aforesaid. In this position the inner or filling tube 94will be connected through one or more of the orifices 99 to the chamber85; and filling material will fiow .into the container through thefilling tube 94; the bottom of which is near the bottom of thecontainer. Foaming is thus minimized. The passageway IOI will be cut offby the rising of the tube combination; but thepassageway 32- will nowplace the outer tube I09 in communication with the vacuum chamber 9|. Atthe same time the reduced portion III of the rod I04 willcoincide withthe passageway 93,

8* opening up the passageway, connecting the vacuum chamber 9I with thevacuum line and drawing a vacuum on the container to assist in the fiowof material into it and to draw off excess filling material and foamwhen the container is completely filled.

After the complete filling of the container, it

is lowered by the platform 05 to a position in which the lower end ofthe tube 94 marks the desired maximum liquid level. This lowering bringsthe mouth of the container away from the sealing element I03 and thetube combination is driven downwardly by the spring 91. The flow ofliquid from the conduit 81 is thus cut ofi from the filling tube 94. Thepassageway I0 I now coincides with the vacuum chamber 9| as illustratedin Figure 8. At the same time the reduced portion H0 of the rod I04 isbrought into coincidence with the passageway 93, and the passageway isopened up, thus connecting the filling tube 99 with the vacuum line.Excess fiuid in the container above the desired maximum liquid level israpidly drawn ofi through the filling tube and an exact fill isattained.

Thereafter the container 6 is further lowered, bringing it entirely awayfrom the fitting I01, which has now attained its lowermost position. Inthis position the rod I04 cuts off the passageway Through one or more ofthe orifices 99, the filling tube remains connected with the vacuumchamber 83 so that the suction is maintained to scavenge the tube 94 andprevent drippage. The vacuum passageway 99 is of such small crosssectionthat there is very little interference with the maintenance of adequatesuction in the system, while a sufiicient scavenging action may bemaintained.

It has been indicated that the container or reservoir It for the fillingfluid is connected through valves 3! and 30 with a source of air or gasunder pressure. In asystem of the type herein described I have foundthat it is advisable to be able to relieve the pressure on the fillingmaterial substantially instantaneously and automatically upon theoccurrence of a stoppage in the mechanism. To this end a suitablevalving arrangement is provided as at 30 which will serve to connect thecontainer or reservoir is either to the source of gas under pressure orto the external atmosphere. Various valve arrangements may be employed.I have illustrated a simple one in which the valve 3| is a rotary valvehaving a core I I2 with an operating arm H3. The core is so arranged andconfigured that in the position shown in Figure'5 the conduit 29 isconnected to the pressure line. In the position shown in Figure 6 theconduit 29 is disconnected from the pressure line and is connected to anopen tube 114 so that superatmospheric pressure in the reservoir I6 israpidly relieved. I may attach a tension spring H5 to the operating arm8 I3 and to an external support in such a way as to urge the valve coreto the position shown in Figure 6, and I may connect to the valve armthe armature III; of a solenoid having a coil II! which is electricallyconnected to the circuit of the prime mover of the filling machine insuch a way as to actuate the solenoid only when the prime mover is inoperation. Stoppage of the machine for any reason, therefore, willresult in immediate relief of the pressure in the reservoir I6. It willbe understood that the machine may be provided with safety mechanisms,known in the art which will produce stoppage upon the occurrence ofvarious contingen- 9 cies such as failure of the feeding means forcontainers-absence of a container on any of the platforms 65 when theserotate to filling position, breakage of a container in the machine, andthe like.

Another advantage of the construction just described is that it permitsthe use of a smaller vacuum chamber and trap than would otherwise bepossible. When the machine is stopped, any containers which are beingfilled will continue to be filled at the level of the exhaust tube,after which the excess filling material will be drawn oil into thevacuum chamber and trap unless or until the vacuum is shut off. Thiswill not ordinarily be done during a temporary machine stoppage so thatit is advisableto minimize the flow of excess material as much aspossible when the rotary parts of the machine are not in motion. Therelief of pressure on the material in the tank l8 minimizes the fiow andhence permits operations with a smaller vacuum chamber and trap.

Modifications may be made in my invention without departing from thespirit thereof, Having thus described my invention in certain exemplaryembodiments, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentis:

1. In container filling apparatus a head element formed to provide twochambers one for filling material under pressure and the other forsuction, at least one fllling'spout structure associated with said headand provided with a seal to make a closed system with the container tobe filled, said filling spout having connections respectively with saidchambers, a reservoir for filling material in communication with thesaid-first mentioned chamber, a trap in communication with the secondmentioned chamber, a vacuum pump in communication with said trap, meansfor exerting superatmospheric pressure in cornmunication with saidreservoir, a liquid transmitting connection between said trap and saidreservoir including a pump having sufficient force to overcome thesuction on said trap and the superatmospheric pressure on said reservoirso as to move filling material from the trap to the reservoir, and atwo-way valve in the means for applying pressure to said reservoir, saidvalve acting in one position to connect the said reservoir with a sourceof gas under pressure and in another position to connect said reservoirwith the external atmosphere whereby rapidly to relieve thesuperatmospheric pressure therein.

2. The structure claimed in claim 1 wherein a plurality of fillingspouts are associated with said head and including moving means tojuxtapose containers to said spouts and remove them therefrom anddriving means for said head and said moving means.

3. The structure claimed in claim 1 including a connection between saidvalve and said driving means efiective to cause said valve to assumesaid second mentioned position upon cessation of operation of saiddriving means.

4. The structure claimed in claim 2 wherein said filling spouts comprisea pair of tubes one within the other and adapted to enter saidcontainers during filling, and means movable by a container when broughtinto juxtaposition to the said filling spouts to connect said tubesrespectively with the chambers of the head whereby to constitute one ofsaid tubes a filling tube and the other a suction tube, said tubes beingdisconnected from said chambers upon removal of said container.

5. The structure claimed in claim 2 wherein said filling spouts comprisea pair of tubes one within the other and adapted to enter saidcontainers during filling, and means movable by a container when broughtinto juxtaposition to the said filling spouts to connect said tubesrespectively with the chambers of the head wherebl to constitute one ofsaid tubes a filling tube and the other a suction tube, said tubes beingdisconnected from said chambers upon removal of said container, andmeans effective subsequent to said disconnection to efiect a scavengingconnection between said filling tube and said first mentioned chamber.

6. The structure claimed in claim 2 wherein said filling spouts comprisea pair of tubes one within the other and adapted to enter saidcontainers during filling, and means movable by a container when broughtinto juxtaposition to the said filling spouts to connect said tubesrespectively with the chambers of the head whereby to constitute one ofsaid tubes a filling tube and the other a suction tube, said tubes beingdisconnected from said chambers upon removal of said container, andmeans effective subsequent to said disconnection to eifect a scavengingconnection between said filling tube and said first mentioned chamber,and a connection between said valve and said driving means efiective tocause said valve to assume said second mentioned position upon cessationof operation of said driving means.

7. The structure claimed in claim 2 wherein said filling spouts eachhave an elongated filling tube adapted to extend into a container, arelatively shorter tube surrounding said filling tube and, means movableby the container for efiecting a connection between said last mentionedtube and the first mentioned chamber and between said first mentionedtube and the second mentioned chamber during filling and for breakll'lgsaid connections when said container is removed.

8. The structure claimed in claim 2 wherein said filling spouts eachhave an elongated filling tube adapted to extend into a container, arelatively shorter tube surrounding said filling tube and means movableby the container for effecting a connection between said last mentionedtube and the first mentioned chamber and between said first mentionedtube and the second mentioned chamber during filling and for breakingsaid connections when said container is removed, and for then effectinga scavenging connection between said filling tube and said firstmentioned chamber.

9. The structure claimed in claim 8 wherein each filling spout structurecomprises a body in which said tubes are slidable as a unit, said bodyhaving a chamber for filling material entered by said filling tube, saidfilling tube having a closed end, the said end bearing a valve elementoperating against a face of said chamber, said tube having a perforationadjacent said elementv so that when said tube is thrust into saidchamber so as to displace said element from said face, said tube will beplaced in communication with said chamber, said body having a vacuumchamber adapted to be placed in communication with saidfilling tubethrough a perforation in said tube when said element is against saidface, said body also having a vacuum passageway which lies incommunication with said outer tube when said filling tube is incommunication with said filling chamber.

10. The structure claimed in claim 8 wherein 11 each filling spoutstructure comprises a body in which said tubes are slidable as a unit;said body 'having a chamber for filling material entered by said fillingtube, said filling tube having a closed end, the said end bearing avalve element operating against a face of said chamber, said tube havinga perforation adjacent said element so that when said tube is thrustinto said chamber so as to displace said element from said face, saidtube will be placed in communication with said chamber, said body havinga vacuum chamber adapted to be placed in communicationwith said fillingtube through a perforation in said tube when said element is againstsaid face, said-body also having a vacuum passageway which lies incommunication with said outer tube when said filling tube is incommunication with said filling chamber, and with said filling tubethrough a perforation in both tubes when said element lies against saidface, and valving means for said last mentioned passageway operated bythe container, said valving means acting in. two positions to open saidpassageway so that a container may be entirely filled with fillingmaterial then lowered to a position at which the end of said fillingtube coincides "with the desired liquid level in said container, and theexcess filling material withdrawn from said'container through saidfilling tube.

11. The structure claimed in claim wherein said meansmoved'by' thecontainer comprises a container engaging fixture supported by rodsslidable in said body, in which one of said rods extends transverselyacross said passageway so as to close'it and in'which said rod hasreduced portions acting in certain positions of said container to opensaid passageway.

12; The structure claimed in claim 10 wherein said-meansmoved'by thecontainer comprises a container engaging fixture supported by'rodsslidable in said body, in which one of said rods extends, transverselyacross said passageway so as to close it and in which said rod hasreduced portions acting in certain positions of said container toopen-said passageway, and a connec tion between said valve'and saiddriving means eifective to cause said valve to'assume said secondmentioned'position upon cessation of operation of said drivingmeans.

13. In a filling spoutconstruction for container filling machines'havinga head-with separate chambers for filling'materialand for suction, abody "having a vertical bore, flanged plugs for insertionin said bore at"the top and bottom portions of said body, filling and exhaust tubes,one Within the other, vertically slidable as a unit, the outer one ofsaid tubes having a bearing in the lower one of said plugs and the innerone of said tubes-having a bearing in the upper one of said plugs, saidupper plug having a chamber for filling material, a connection be' tweensaid chamber and the first mentioned chamber ofthe head efiectivethrough said plug in said body, the upper" end of the inner tubev beingclosed but provided with a perforation adapted to coincide with saidchamber in the uppermost position of said tube and to effect aconnection between said tube and said chamber, and adapted in thelowermost position of said tube to lie below the lower end of the upperone of said plugs to efiect a connection between said inner tube andth'space below said plug, said plugs being spaced from-each other so asto provide a suction chamber "between them havin 12 connection effectivethrough said body with the suction chamber of S'aid'head, the upperend-of said outer tube being closedand'providedwith a gasket foreffecting sealing connection against the upper face of the lower'plug,said outer'tube having a perforation adjacent its closed end adapted inthe uppermost position ofsaid tube to bring it into communication withsaid suction chamber, and a C-clamp element'for engaging said plugs andholding them in'saidbore. 14. In a filling spout structure for usewith afilling machine having a head with chambers for fillingmaterial andsuction, a body having a vertical bore, flanged plugs in the upper andlower ends of said bore, a structure comprising tubes, one within theother and movable asa unit, the outer tube being -journaled in the lowerof said 'plugsand the inner tube being journaled in the upper of saidplugs, -a connection effective through the upper plug and body betweenthe inner tube and the suction chamber of said head, said plugs beingspaced said body to provide a chamber for filling "materialtherebetween, a connection effective through said body between saidchamber and the filling material chamber of said head, said outer tubehaving a closed upper end with a gasket element sealing against theupper surface of the lower plug, and provided with a perforationadjacent its closed end such that in the upper position of said outertube, it will be placed in communication with the filling materialchamber in said body, and C-clampmeans for holding said'plugsin'saidbore.

15; In a filling spout structure, a body having a vertical bore, flangedplugs in the upper and lower ends of said bore, a structure comprisingtubes, one within the other and movable as a unit, the outertube beingslidably mounted in the lower one of said plugs, and the inner tubeextending into a perforation in the upper one of said plugs, aconnection in said body effective through the upper plug to the innerof' 'said tubes, and a connection in said body effective between theplugs to the outer of said tubes, to" gether'with releasable clamp meansfor holding said plugs in said bore.

16. In container filling apparatus a head element formed to provide 'twochambers one for filling material and the'other for suctionfa' pluralityoffilling spouts associated with said head, each "of said filling spoutshaving connections respectively with said chambers anda seal for contactwith the mouth of a'conta'iner to be filled to make a closed systemtherewith, a sealed reservoir for filling material undersuper-atmospheric pressurein communication with said first mentionedchamber, means for exerting super-atmospheric pressure in communicationwith said reservoir, a trap in communication with said second mention'edcham' her, a vacuum pump in communication with s'aid trap, and 'a liquidtransmitting connection b'e-- tween said trap and said reservoirincluding a pump having sufficient force to overcome the suction on saidtrap and super-atmospheric" pressure on said liquid reservoir so as "tomove filling material from the trap'to the' reservoir? 1'7. In containerfilling apparatus, a head'element formed to provide two chambers one forfilling material and the other for suction, a blu rality of fillingspouts associated with said head, each of said filling spouts havingconnections respectively with said chambers and a seald'oi" contact withthe mouth of a container to be filled to make a closed system therewith,said filling spouts each including a body, a pair of tubes one withinthe other extending downwardly from said body and adapted to enter thecontainer during filling, and valve means in said body movable by acontainer when brought into juxtaposition to said filling spout toconnect said tubes respectively with the chambers of the head so as toconstitute one of said tubes a filling tube and the other a suctiontube, said tubes being disconnected from said chambers by said valvemeans upon removal of said container.

18. The structure claimed in claim 17 wherein said valve means includesmeans efiective subsequent to said disconnection of said tubes to effecta scavenging connection between one of said tubes and said suctionchamber.

19. In a filling spout structure a body having a vertical 'bore, flangedplugs in the upper and lower ends of said bore, a structure comprising apair of tubes one within the other and movable as a unit journaled inthe lower one of said plugs, a connection in said body efiective to theinner of said tubes, and a connection in said body effective to theouter of said tubes, together with releasable clamping means for holdingsaid plugs in said bore.

20. In a filling spout structure, a body having a vertical bore, flangedplugs in the upper and lower ends of said bore, a structure comprising apair of tubes one within the other and movable as a unit journaled inthe lower one of said plugs, passageways in said body, and openings insaid tubes being movable from a position wherein said openings are outof communication with said 35 spaced apart passageways in said body, andopenings in said tubes for communication with said passageways, andvalve means carried by said tubed structure for closing the connectionbetween one of said passageways and the opening in the outer tube.

22. In a filling spout structure, a body having a vertical bore, flangedplugs in the upper and lower ends of said bore, a structure comprising apair of tubes one within the other and movable as a unit journaled inthe lower one of said plugs, a first connection in said body effectiveto the inner of said tubes, a second connection in said body efiectiveto the outer of said tubes, and valve means carried by said tubestructure for closing the connection to the outer of said tubes,together with releasable clamping means for holding said plugs in saidbore.

PAUL R. FECHHEIMER.

References Cited in the file of this patent V UNITED STATES PATENTSNumber Name Date 1,763,240 Krefer June 10, 1930 Urschel Feb. 16, 1937

